


Gravity

by LRVDSI



Series: to fly and to fall [1]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Book 1: Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, Book 2: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Book 3: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Book 4: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Book 5: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Book 6: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Book 7: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Cross-Posted on FanFiction.Net, Dramione is viable, F/F, F/M, HP: EWE, Homosexuality, M/M, Multi, Point of view: Slytherin House, Polyamory, Slytherin, The Silver Trio - Freeform, The complexity of war, The world is bigger, Underage Drinking, Violence, the world isn't split into good people and Death Eaters., things are serious
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-10-05
Updated: 2016-03-25
Packaged: 2018-04-24 21:15:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 3
Words: 10,143
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4935631
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LRVDSI/pseuds/LRVDSI
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"When you fall you can't blame gravity. You can't fight it either. The first time we fell, we were 11 and didn't realize it. Carefree and proud. We never imagined that a catastrophe would happen in our time. But it did. In reality you can't get angry when you keep on falling, because some things are meant to be that way, you just have to do the best of the worst. Gravity don't mean too much to me, I'm who I've got to be."</p><p>Follow the story of the other side of Harry Potter and Wizard War II and you'll se that we al hurt, laugh, live, died and love.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. First year: I. The red train known as the Hogwarts Express.

**Author's Note:**

> ****
> 
> **Warning: Original Characters and non-canon. Use of French, Spanish, English, Italian, German and/or Welsh. Will, in the future, contain homosexual relationships.**
> 
>  
> 
> this story holds a very special place in my hearth. for years I been working on it (and it's nowhere finished), and even if we had ups and downs I had never really forget it. I've already posted this on FF.net, but I recently came across this 
> 
> also, as I stated in the warning (please read it and don't go all hater on me, don't like don't read.) this story contains Original Characters and drifts in some details from the books and movies but it retains the same plot and idea, it also contains many quotes and dialogues taken from the books. for the use of multiple languages, the translation will be provided after the words or phrase to make the reading easier and fluid. not all of the translations are accurate as I'm only fluent on Spanish and English.  
> there's also a lot of historical or artistic references that will be marked and explained. I like doing research when I write this sort of massive work so I guess you can expect a lot of them.  
> happy reading.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Gravity don't mean too much to me  
> Is this our destiny?”  
> My Chemical Romance - Bulletproof Heart

 A girl with violet eyes (1) was staring outside the window into the busy platform. Her gaze moving quickly form one face towards the other, absorbing expressions and movements.

Her delicate fingers, attached to a small hand, brushed a strand of long, shiny black hair out of her face. It was safely tucked behind her ear. Blinking eyes and thick eye lashes fluttering over her lightly tan skin. Dusted pink cheeks and freckles over cheekbones and nose. She was a sight.

The lock of hair fell on her face again. Her pale red lips quickly curled in annoyance. She left it there, lost battles were pointless. Moving back from the window she ran her hands over the front of her a long sleeved grey shirt, smoothing out any wrinkles that could have formed. Her outfit consisted also of black pants and small leather boots that cover her legs and feet. A handkerchief of white fabric with grey patters warped loosely around her head and neck (2).

Slowly and carefully the door was opened. Her violet eyes peaked curiously towards it, but her expression remained smooth and thoughtful. She fixed the strand of hair again and then crossed her hands over he lap, posture perfect.

The door was opened and another girl looked in. Curly, messy and long brown hair and big chocolate eyes. Pink lips and a small smile that showed the teeth, the two front ones bigger than the others. Healthy pale skin and small body. Delicate fingers. The girl on the door had a bossy and confident posture, she was looking inside the compartment. Dressed with blue jeans and a white and green sweater. The black haired girl looked at ger. None of them spoke for some seconds. Finally, the brunette opened her mouth and said clearly.

"Hello. I was wondering if I could sit here." The other girl let out a little smile and motion with her head inside. The brown eyes girl nodded and hurried inside, closing the door behind her. "Thanks" she murmured. The smile of the other girl stretched a little bit more while she made a casual movement with her hand.

Some minutes passed in silence. In the end, the violet eye girl let out a small laugh and said softly.

"Hermione." The other girl, apparently named like that, look up and blink her eyes. "Stop been so formal we have known each other for a year, right? Don't be so serious." Hermione pouted and brown eyes locked with violet ones. Annoyed versus amused.

"I'm not formal. I'm polite... and nervous" The other shook her head and giggled again. The atmosphere in the compartment relaxed. "Don't be like that! Aren't you nervous? I mean, is the first day at school. I can't wait for the classes to start. I'm looking forward to Transfiguration you know, changing one thing to other. Oh and Charms doesn't sound so bad. Have you ever wonder in what house you'll be? Gryffindor or Ravenclaw would be interest houses to be in. Do you think that the teacher will be nice? What about the rest of the first years? I can't wait to be at school!" Hermione's eyes were now shinning with excitement and her smile was bright.

"Yeah… expected from you to feel like that about school." The black hair girl was now grinning as her companion glared and scoffed at her.

"Oh, don't be so carefree, I know you are nervous or at least exited." Her tone was now more confident and a little smug. A tone the curly girl adopted when she had the reason. Something, especially in the academic area, that was really common. Violet eyes narrowed in mock anger.

"No, of course I'm not nervous." Hermione looked at her and rolled her eyes.

"Of course you are not." She retorted with a grin. They glared at each other for a while. Then laughter erupted from them, following with some silence and more staring at each other. The small silence was cut short when the black hair girl huffed and let out.

"I'm not." Another lapse of silence and more laughter. Catching her breath, Hermione prepare to retort but the other shook her head and cut in. "Oh, shut up. Don't even think of it. Let's not drag on an impossible argument. I'm not and be on with it." She said, sinking on the seat. Hermione smiled and reclined to.

"If you said so Victoria."

"Of course I do!" While they were laughing and talking the train had moved away from London. Now they were passing the countryside, all green hills and blue skies.

Hermione pulled a book and had her nose buried in it. Red cover and thick spine, with crispy new sheets. A soft smile graced the brunette’s lips while her eyes scanned the pages quickly. Victoria eyes were out of the window again. Violet on blue, collected expression once again. 

 

* * *

 

At half past twelve the hall was filled with noised and laughter. A short and smiling woman came pushing a cart full of candies.

"Do you want something to eat girls?" Victoria nodded and nudged her companion that was too engrossed in her book to take notice of her surroundings. Startled Hermione's eyes glared at Victoria over the rim of the book. Victoria's hand pointed with small movements to the door. Hermione glanced at it before shaking her head. The black hair girl rolled her eyes and stood up. The woman smiled to her brightly. Victoria's eyes scanned the sweets, her head tilted to one side in confusion.

"Yes dear?" Victoria looked up and blinked. Her words come out slowly, unsure.

"Oh? Chocolate frogs, thank you." The woman hand them to her and look inside the compartment again.

"Is she sure about not wanting anything?" Victoria considered it for a second. Maybe something to eat will be fine. She slowly nodded and pointed the Pumpkin Pastries. The woman smiled again and hand then to her. The plastic wrappings crunched in their hands. The woman held her hand up, waiting for the coins. Victoria took some out of her pocket and paid the woman, who thanked her and continued pushing the cart down the hallway. Victoria closed the door again.

"Here, Pumpkin Pastries." Hermione looked up from her book. Questioning Victoria and her smile. "If I didn't buy them you'll starve until dinner." Hermione rolled her eyes and her brow furrowed. A teasing smile stretched over Victoria's lips. The other girl glared to her before returning to her book. Victoria rolled her eyes and sat next to her. The pastries stretched over her lap. Violet eyes darting continuously to Hermione. The pale hands of Victoria delicately opened the packed of a Chocolate Frog, picking it up carefully. A bite with a smile and a bit of the chocolate disappeared. The brunette was becoming annoyed under the gaze, her brown eyes kept on re-reading the same sentences all over again and biting her lover lip. Finally, she closed her book and extended her hand, giving up. Victoria smiled stretched deviously and gave her the pastries. Hermione rolled her eyes and took them, hiding a smile.

"What? No "thank you Victoria you are the best"?" Hermione narrowed her eyes and shook her head disapprovingly, still hiding the smile. The black hair girl laughed and poked the other, making her squirm a little. Victoria finished the rest of the frog and opened a new one, munching it slowly. Her attention past Hermione, focused on the soft green country. Yawing she took another bite of the chocolate. A mischievous glint shone in her in eyes and she turned towards the other girl.

"Hey Hermione, let's go for a walk around the train." Hermione closed her book (again) and looked at her companion. The brunet let out a sigh and shook her head. Victoria frowned.

"We still have a lot of time here." Her lips wrinkled into a pout.

"Well, go and read a book." The black hair girl snorted.

"I can't. Motions sickness." She stated, staring at the cover of the book. Some golden letters forming an elegant title. Her eyes ignored the letters and focused on the texture, was it leather? Hermione's face was hidden behind it, the brunette sighed.

"Let's go then." The book was shut for third time and final time.

The two girls walked out of the compartment. Looking up and down the hall they decided to make their way down. The front was full of perfects that would demand them to keep on their compartment. No thanks. A crowd of people was occupying a great space near them, almost at the end of the wagon. Curious, Hermione made her way towards them; Victoria frowned and kept close to her. The group was formed with third and second years, all of them looking at three boys. Two redheads and a boy with dreadlocks, the last one had a box in his hands. The girls pushed their way into the crowd. Hermione looked at the box.

"Excuse me, what's on the box?" She asked. The owner of the box looked up at them and grinned.

"Something." Victoria looked at him, not amused. One of the red heads cut in.

"Something scary…" the other red-head continued.

"Are you little girls…"

"…sure…"

"…that you…"

"…can…"

"…handle…"

"…it?" Both girls had been darting their eyes from one boy to the other. Victoria had a small scowl in her face. The black hair girl rolled her eyes and Hermione eyes narrowed.

"Of course we do." The third boy looked at them and slowly, adding a dramatic effect, opened the box. Some girls and boys in the back of the crowd let out yelps and gasps as a long, hairy leg poked from the inside. Victoria and, after a millisecond of hesitation, Hermione inched closely to the box. Peeking inside. "Is that a spider?" Asked Victoria with made a sound of disgust. All around of them, the crowd relaxed.

"It's actually a tarantula." Hermione pointed, looking inside the box again. "Look, for starters it's hairy."

"You girls are no fun." Said the boy with dreadlocks. Hermione smile apologizing. Victoria smirked. Then he turned towards the brunette. "And yes it's a tarantula." The girl smiled proudly. Victoria poked her in amusement. Hermione poked her back and smiled. Victoria lips curved into a small smile. The black-haired girl pulled Hermione and they continuing their way down the train.

"Sorry for ruining the fun." Called Hermione and Victoria nodded at the boys. The boys laughed and the two girls swore that they pulled out the tarantula, making the crowd gasp again. 

The two of them continuing their way down the train. Hermione telling Victoria a story she had read on the weekend, Something about a castle in the air and a princess with golden hair, when a boy came out of a compartment. He had round faced and tearful eyes. He was looking down at the floor and didn't notice the girls until he was in front of them.

"Oh... sorry," he said. "but have you seen a toad at all?" Victoria gave him a blank look and answered quickly.

"No, we are sorry."

"I've lost him! He keeps getting away! Why me?" Hermione and Victoria exchanged a glance.

 The brunette looked behind the boy into the open compartment door. The boy went away. Hermione pointed to Victoria the inside of the compartment. Two boys were inside. One of the, a redhead tall boy, had his wand raised. The two girls, leaded by Hermione, entered the compartment.

"Oh, are you doing magic? Let's see it, then." Hermione said, excited.

The girls sat down. The red head looked taken aback.

"Er- all right." He cleared his throat. "Sunshine, daisies, butter mellow, turn this stupid, fat rat yellow." He waved his wand, but nothing happened. The rat in his lap stayed gray and fast asleep. Victoria snorted. Clearly amused by his failure.

"Are you sure that's a real spell?" said the brown head girl. Her voice in bossy mode. "Well, it's not very good, is it? I've tried a few simple spells just for practice and it's all worked for me." Victoria glanced at the boys, amusement clearly in her eyes and said plainly:

"You tried to turn the rat yellow? Let me." Drawing out her wand, she pointed it to the rat and said softly.   _"Pingere Virêscô (3)"_  The rat became a vivid emerald green. Hermione laughed. The boys looked stunned for some seconds. The red head ears turned a vibrant shade of red to match his hair. The other boy, skinny and with black haired had his green eyes wide open in amazement.

"Wow." He said amazed and then, recovering a little, asked "Excuse me but… who are you?"

"I am Hermione Granger and you are…?"

"Ron Weasley" The red head muttered.

"Harry Potter." Hermione looked at him, curious.

"Are you really?" said Hermione. "I know all about you, of course, I have a lot of books, and you're in   _'Modern Magical History'_ and _'The Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts'_ and _'Great Wizarding Events of the Twentieth Century'."_

"Am I?" said Harry, looking dazed.

"Goodness, didn't you know? I'd have found out everything I could if it was me." said Hermione annoyed. Victoria sneer, to both Hermione and the boys. The boys looked at her sharply. "Anyway you two had better change, you know, I expect we'll be there soon." Both girls stood up and headed to the door. Harry called behind them.

"Hey, you didn't tell us your name." Victoria turned around and smirked.

"Victoria." She answered slowly and then they were out, closing the door behind them.

 When they were some steps away, the girls smiled.

"Is he really in _'The Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts'_?" Hermione nodded. 

"Emerald green?" Hermione then asked Victoria in return, who just shrugged.

"I can still go back and change it to pink." Hermione giggle and shook her head.

"I don't think they would want that" Both girls smiled and made their way back to the compartment. 

Hermione grabbed her book again and eyed it, contemplating to keep on reading or not. Victoria closed the curtains of the compartment and pulled her uniform out, black tunic, dark grey plated skirt, white button up blouse, a small black tie, grey vest and black cloak. She looked at the items, pouting.

"It is so… English" Victoria murmured. Hermione giggle form behind her book.

"Yes. We are in England." Victoria made a 'tch' sound. The other girl pulled out her clothes and began changing. Victoria followed her example. Victoria looked down at her clothes. The skirt ending abode her knees, her legs covered with black leggings, the small black boots in her feet and up her ankles. The shirt long sleeved and the tie loosely tied around the neck. She kept the handkerchief around her head.

"I still think this is too English." Hermione giggled once again, shaking her head. The sun was getting lower and lower in the sky.

Victoria went to open the curtains and hear a voice talking and cursing in Italian. Curious, she opened the door. Two boys were in the hallway, already dressed in their uniforms. One of them was tall and with tan skin, black messy hair and golden eyes, the other had dark brown hair, his skin was paler and had green eyes. Victoria frowned, both of them looked mad.

" _Ciao, stai bene?_ " (Hello, are you ok?) The tall boy looked up at her. The other rolled his eyes.

"  _Sì. Siamo stati buttati fuori._ " (Yes. We were kicked out.) Victoria frowned. The green eyed boy cut in.

"Sorry, would you two mind speaking in English?" He said, clearly annoyed. Hermione had come to the door and poked Victoria.

"He is right you know." Victoria smirked at her.

"Sorry. You said that someone kick you out. Of the compartment?" The green eyed boy nodded.

"Some fifth year Gryffindor. He said that he needed it. Had a clingy girl next to him." He said clearly disgusted. Both girls made a face. Yes, disgusting situation. Hermione glance at Victoria. The black hair girl looked at the boys.

"Want to come? It's only the two of us." The boys shrugged and came in. The black hair boy sat next to the window in front of the girls. The other boy sat next to him. Victoria claimed the other seat next to the window and Hermione sat next to her, picking up the book and placing it in her lap.

"Thanks. We are not even in Hogwarts and I hate the Gryffindors already." The rest of the compartment chuckle. "I'm Theodore Nott Junior. Call me Theo."

"I'm Hermione Granger."

"I am Victoria."

"Blaise Zabini."

It was getting dark. They could see mountains and forests under a deep purple sky. The train did seem to be slowing down. A voice echoed through the train: 'We will be reaching Hogwarts in five minutes' time. Please leave your luggage on the train, it will be taken to the school separately.' The train slowed down and finally stopped. People pushed their way toward the door and out on to a tiny, dark platform. They shivered in the cold night air. Victoria was trembling so bad that her teeth were making noise. A second cloak was thrown over her shoulders. She looked up at Blaise, thanking him softly. Inward she pouted, the weather was so cold, colder that what she was used to. 

Then a lamp came bobbing over the heads of the students, and a deep and loud voice said: "Firs' years! Firs' years over here! All right there, Harry?" A man with big hairy face beamed over the sea of heads. "C'mon, follow me, any more firs' years? Mind yer step, now! Firs' years follow me!" Slipping and stumbling, they followed the man down what seemed to be a steep, narrow path. It was so dark on either side of them. There must be thick trees there. Nobody spoke much. The boy who kept loosing his toad, sniffed once or twice. "Ye' all get yer firs' sight o' Hogwarts in a sec," Hagrid called over his shoulder, "jus' round this bend here." 

There was a loud "Oooooh!"

The narrow path had opened suddenly onto the edge of a great black take. Perched atop a high mountain on the other side, its windows sparkling in the starry sky, was a vast castle with many turrets and towers. "No more'n four to a boat!" Hagrid called, pointing to a fleet of little boats sitting in the water by the shore. Victoria, Hermione, Blaise and Theo occupied one. "Everyone in?" shouted the man, who had a boat to himself. "Right then… FORWARD!"

And the fleet of little boats moved off all at once, gliding across the lake, which was as smooth as glass. Everyone was silent, staring up at the great castle overhead. It towered over them as they sailed nearer and nearer to the cliff on which it stood. "Heads down!" yelled the big man as the first boats reached the cliff; they all bent their heads and the little boats carried them through a curtain of ivy that hid a wide opening in the cliff face. They were carried along a dark tunnel, which seemed to be taking them right underneath the castle, until they reached a kind of underground harbor, where they clambered out onto rocks and pebbles."Oy, you there! Is this your toad?" said the man while checking the boats as people climbed out of them. 

"Trevor!" cried the round faced boy blissfully, holding out his hands. Then they clambered up a passageway in the rock after the big lamp, coming out at last onto smooth, damp grass right in the shadow of the castle. They walked up a flight of stone steps and crowded around the huge, oak front door. "Everyone here? You there, still got yer toad?" The man raised a gigantic fist and knocked three times on the castle door.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **1\. Violet eyes:** tough uncommon, not impossible. It can be form of incomplete albinism (genetically disorder that makes the body produce very small amount of pigment know as melanin) or a specific amount of pigment in the iris, the more melanin you have the darker your eyes will look. Blue eyes exist as well as black, violet is a shade between them. Elizabeth Taylor had violet eyes. She also used black eyeliner, brown eye-shadow and purple or black clothes to make the color of her eyes even more intense.  
>  **2\. A handkerchief of white fabric with grey patters warped loosely around her head and neck:** in many Mediterranean and Arabic cultures women used pieces of fabric to cover their head and necks for many different reasons (from climatic conditions, to social class, to moralistic reasons) until very recent times.  
> Now on days, it's almost used by Arabic women. Tough it's related to Muslims, the fabrics covering head and neck, existed before Mahomet and Muslims. Especially in deserted areas to protect the skin and eyes from the sun, wind and sand. I won't used the word "veil" to avoid controversy but yes, the handkerchief used by Victoria is similar to the modern hijab, a long rectangular piece of fabric that goes the head and neck and then over the shoulders, in a draping.  
>  **3\. Pingere Virêscô:** Pingere in Latin means "pain; to color" while Virêscô is the word for emerald green. It could be roughtly translated (or understood) to "color it emerald green".


	2. First year: II. What the hat thinks

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “In the shape of things to come.  
> (…)  
> every me and every you”  
> Placebo – Every You Every Me

The door swung open at once. A tall, black-haired witch in emerald-green robes stood there. She had a very stern face and the first impression was that this was not someone to cross.

“The firs' years, Professor McGonagall,” said the tall man.

“Thank you, Hagrid. I will take them from here.” She pulled the door wide. The entrance hall was really magnificent. The stone walls were lit with flaming torches, the ceiling was too high to make out, and a magnificent marble staircase facing them led to the upper floors. They followed Professor McGonagall across the flagged stone floor. They could hear the drone of hundreds of voices from a doorway to the right, the rest of the school must already be here, but Professor McGonagall showed the first years into a small, empty chamber off the hall. They crowded in, standing rather closer together than they would usually have done, peering about nervously.

“Welcome to Hogwarts,” said Professor McGonagall. “The start-of-term banquet will begin shortly, but before you take your seats in the Great Hall, you will be sorted into your houses. The Sorting is a very important ceremony because, while you are here, your house will be something like your family within Hogwarts. You will have classes with the rest of your house, sleep in your house dormitory, and spend free time in your house common room. The four houses are called Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. Each house has its own noble history and each has produced outstanding witches and wizards. While you are at Hogwarts, your triumphs will earn your house points, while any rule-breaking will lose house points. At the end of the year, the house with the most points is awarded the house cup, a great honor. I hope each of you will be a credit to whichever house becomes yours. The Sorting Ceremony will take place in a few minutes in front of the rest of the school. I suggest you all smarten yourselves up as much as you can while you are waiting.” Her eyes lingered for a moment on the toad boy cloak, which was fastened under his left ear, and on Ron Weasley's smudged nose. “I shall return when we are ready for you,” said Professor McGonagall. “Please wait quietly.”

Victoria took off the second cloak and gave it back to Blaise. He nodded. Hermione began whispering very fast all the spells she'd learned and wondering which one she'd need. Victoria blocked her voice. Theo next to them was frowning.

“What’s wrong?” She asked him.

“Do you know how they sort into the houses?” He asked in return. Blaise and Hermione looked at them, interested. Victoria shook her head.

“My father didn’t go to Hogwarts.” Blaise eyed her curiously and Theo frowned deeper “Do you know?”

“No. My parents didn’t tell me. They said it was a secret, and that’s what worries me.” Hermione went pale. Victoria gulped. Then something happened that made Theo jump about a foot in the air, Blaise swore in Italian again and Victoria went pale, several people in front them (and Hermione) screamed.

“What the hell?” Theo said. About twenty ghosts had just streamed through the back wall. Pearly-white and slightly transparent, they glided across the room talking to one another and hardly glancing at the first years. They seemed to be arguing. What looked like a fat little monk was saying: “Forgive and forget, I say, we ought to give him a second chance…”

“My dear Friar, haven't we given Peeves all the chances he deserves? He gives us all a bad name and you know, he's not really even a ghost… I say, what are you all doing here?” A ghost wearing a ruff and tights had suddenly noticed the first years.

Nobody answered.

“New students!” said the Fat Friar, smiling around at them. “About to be Sorted, I suppose?” A few people nodded mutely. “Hope to see you in Hufflepuff!” said the Friar. “My old house, you know.”

“Move along now,” said a sharp voice. “The Sorting Ceremony's about to start.” Professor McGonagall had returned. One by one, the ghosts floated away through the opposite wall.

“Now, form a line,” Professor McGonagall told the first years, “and follow me.” They form into a line, Theo then Hermione, Victoria and lastly Blaise, the four of them almost at the end of the line. They walked out of the chamber, back across the hall, and through a pair of double doors into the Great Hall.

Victoria eyes widen and in front of her Hermione gasped. It was lit by thousands and thousands of candles that were floating in midair over four long tables, where the rest of the students were sitting. These tables were laid with glittering golden plates and goblets. At the top of the hall was another long table where the teachers were sitting.

Professor McGonagall led the first years up here, so that they came to a halt in a line facing the other students, with the teachers behind them. The hundreds of faces staring at them looked like pale lanterns in the flickering candlelight. Dotted here and there among the students, the ghosts shone misty silver. Victoria felt a nudged next to her, Blaise pointing carefully (and almost unnoticeable) to the ceiling. She looked up. The starry night sky spread over her above the flickering of the candles. Her eyes shone and a soft smile spread on her lips.

Hermione whisper, “It’s bewitched to look like the sky outside. I read about it in 'Hogwarts, A History'.”              

“You just have to go and ruin the wonder?” Victoria retorted. Hermione smile apologetic.

 

Professor McGonagall silently placed a four-legged stool in front of the first years. On top of the stool she put a pointed wizard's hat. This hat was patched and frayed and extremely dirty. Everybody in the room was looking at it so the first years copied them.  For a few seconds, there was complete silence. Then the hat twitched. A rip near the brim opened wide like a mouth and the hat began to sing:

 

_"Oh, you may not think I'm pretty,_

_But don't judge on what you see,_

_I'll eat myself if you can find_

_A smarter hat than me._

_You can keep your bowlers black,_

_Your top hats sleek and tall,_

_For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat_

_And I can cap them all._

_There's nothing hidden in your head_

_The Sorting Hat can't see,_

_So try me on and I will tell you_

_Where you ought to be._

_You might belong in Gryffindor,_

_Where dwell the brave at heart,_

_Their daring, nerve, and chivalry_

_Set Gryffindors apart;_

_You might belong in Hufflepuff,_

_Where they are just and loyal,_

_Those patient Hufflepuffis are true_

_And unafraid of toil;_

_Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,_

_if you've a ready mind,_

_Where those of wit and learning,_

_Will always find their kind;_

_Or perhaps in Slytherin_

_You'll make your real friends,_

_Those cunning folk use any means_

_To achieve their ends._

_So put me on! Don't be afraid!_

_And don't get in a flap!_

_You're in safe hands (though I have none)_

_For I'm a Thinking Cap!"_

 

The whole hall burst into applause as the hat finished its song. It bowed to each of the four tables and then became quite still again. Theo let out a smirk.

“We just try the hat.” Hermione said, smiling brightly next to him. 

Professor McGonagall now stepped forward holding a long roll of parchment. "When I call your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool to be sorted," she said. "Abbott, Hannah!"

A pink-faced girl with blonde pigtails stumbled out of line, put on the hat, which fell right down over her eyes, and sat down. A momentary pause.

"HUFFLEPUFF!" shouted the hat. The table on the left cheered and clapped as Hannah went to sit down at the Hufflepuff table. The ghost of the Fat Friar waved merrily at her.

“Acebedo de Córdoba (1), Victoria” Whispers rose from some of the students. A Spanish surname and name? She smirked at them and walked to the stool. The hat fell over her eyes, obscuring everything.

 

“Spanish eh?” a small voice said in her ear. Inside the hat she raised her eyebrows. Yes, she was Spanish. “We don’t get many foreign students here. Let’s see… where shall I put you? A very promising mind and grate persistence. Yes, yes, indeed so clever. Oh and brave, ready to take the world. So Ravenclaw or perhaps…”

 

“SLYTHERINE!” The hat yelled to the hall. Victoria took off the hat. The table in the right cheered up. She walked there and sat near the end. In front of her was a ghost with silver blood in his wounds. She looked at him and bowed her head in respect (and a little of fear).

"Bones, Susan!"

"HUFFLEPUFF!" shouted the hat and Susan scuttled off to sit next to Hannah.

"Boot, Terry!"

"RAVENCLAW!"

The table second from the right clapped this time; several Ravenclaws stood up to shake hands with Terry as he joined them. “Brocklehurst, Mandy" went to Ravenclaw too, but "Brown, Lavender" became the first new Gryffindor, and the table on the far left exploded with cheers; Victoria could see the red-head twin brothers catcalling. Hermione was looking at the hat, almost green. Theo kept his eyes on the ground and Blasie darted his eyes around the room.

“Crab, Vincent”

“SLYTHERINE”

“Davis, Tracey”

“RAVENCLAW!”

"Finch-Fletchley, Justin!"

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

Sometimes, the hat shouted out the house at once, but at others it took a little while to decide. "Finnigan, Seamus," a sandy-haired boy, sat on the stool for almost a whole minute before the hat declared him a Gryffindor.

"Granger, Hermione!" Victoria gaze became fixed on the girl, who almost run to the stool and put the hat just as quickly. Hermione locked her eyes with her before the hat cover her eyes.

“Well, well…” the hat said to Hermione. She breathed in sharply. “A bright mind, very bright one actually. There’s also loyalty. Yes, yes… the need to prove yourself and no fear to do so. You want to succeed. Well then let it be something that helps you. Let you be in…” Hermione stopped breathing.

“RAVENCLAW!” She let out her breath and took the hat. The Ravenclaw table was cheering at her. She walked there, sitting almost at the end of table, right behind Victoria. When the rest of her housemates finished welcoming her to the house she turned and found Victoria facing her.

“We are one table away.” The Spanish girl stated.

“Yeah.” The new Ravenclaw said weary.

“Well… I guess sleepovers can’t be done. Come with me on breaks?” Hermione smiled brightly and nodded. “Greengrass, Daphne” and “Goyle, Gregory” soon joined the Slytherins. When Neville Longbottom, the boy who kept losing his toad, was called, he fell over on his way to the stool. The hat took a long time to decide with Neville. When the hat finally shouted, "GRYFFINDOR," Neville ran off still wearing it, and had to jog back amid gales of laughter to give it to "MacDougal, Morag" who went to Ravenclaw.

“Malfoy, Draco.” A pale boy swaggered forward when his name was called. The hat had barely touched his head when it screamed, "SLYTHERIN!" before saying to him, “A Malfoy eh? Well boy, take care. Grate things come with grate prices.” He walked to the table, sitting in front of Victoria, next to the ghost. Vincet and Gregory moved to his side and sat.

“Hi” Draco said in a bored tone of voice to Victoria. The girl looked at him and blinked.

“Hi.” She said in return.

“Nott, Theodore” Victoria and Draco both looked at the sorting. Theo carefully placed the hat in his head.

“Nott is it?” Theo nodded. “Ah… interesting. What do you believe in? A very clever one here, also sharp and loyal. But I know where you belong.”

“SLYTHERINE” Theo put down the hat and sat on the table, next to Draco. He looked at her and then to Draco.

“Draco, nice to see you again.” Draco’s face softened for a second.

“Nice to see you too Theo.” Victoria watched them and then turned her attention to the ceremony.  "Parkinson, Pansy" went to Slytherine then a pair of twin girls, "Patil" to Ravenclaw and "Patil" to Gryffindor then "Perks, Sally-Anne" to Hufflepuff and then, "Potter, Harry!"

As Harry Potter stepped forward, whispers suddenly broke out like little hissing fires all over the hall.

“Potter, did she say?”

“The Harry Potter?”

Draco scowled. Theo glanced at him. The blond boy rolled his eyes.

“Potter is pretty lame.” Theo smirked and next to him Victoria chuckle. “People are even standing to look at him.” The hall fell into a silence, that was not really silence because people kept whispering, for half a minute.

“GRYFFINDOR!” The hat yelled.

“Why I’m not surprise? Lame house for lame people.” The blond boy said and then crossed his arms, scolding. Victoria chuckle at this. The people in the Gryffindor table were cheering really loud. They could hear even yells of “We got Potter! We got Potter!” Victoria rolled her eyes, somehow amused.

“True.” Said Theo.  Few people were left. “Thomas, Dean” and “Turpin, Lisa” went to Gryffindor, as well as “Weasley, Ron”. Victoria sneered at this and said to Draco.

“You are right, lame house for lame people. Fool of him trying to turn a rat yellow with a fake spell.” Theo, Draco, Vincent and Gregory laughed, as well as a couple of older boy near them.

“Zabini, Blaise” was of course the last student to be sorted. He made his way to the stool with clam steps. He took the hand with one hand and softly placed it in his head.

“Another foreign one. This year has been full of surprises.” Said the hat to him. Blaise kept still. “Sharp-sighted and quick with the mind. Not a bad mind… Where would you succeed boy? Ah… Proud. Very proud. Let you be…”

“SLYTHERINE!” Blaise took the hat and glance at it blankly. He walked to the table and sat next to Victoria.

“ _Ciao, piacere di voi di unirsi a noi.”_ (Hello, nice of you to join us.) Said Victoria to him.

 _“Non una scelta, ma sono contento.”_ (Not a choice, but I’m glad.) He answered, his voice amused. Draco glanced at them.

 _“So cosa vuoi dire.”_ (I know what you mean) She answered amused as well and Blaise smirked. Draco kept glancing at them with his eyebrow raised. The ghost was also looking at them, his expression black so they couldn’t know what he was thinking. Theo rolled his eyes and glanced at Draco. In the front Professor McGonagall had rolled up her scroll and took the Sorting Hat away.

“The two of them are like that since the train. Italian.” Theo groaned to Draco. Further conversation was stopped when the headmaster stood up. He was beaming at the students, his arms opened wide, as if nothing could have pleased him more than to see them all there.

“Welcome,” he said. “Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts! Before we begin our banquet, I would like to say a few words. And here they are: Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak! Thank you!” The first years of Slytherin looked at each other wide-eyed and clearly confused. The food appeared in the golden plates. There was roast beef, roast chicken, pork chops and lamb chops, sausages, bacon and steak, boiled potatoes, roast potatoes, fries, Yorkshire pudding, peas, carrots, gravy, ketchup, and, for some strange reason, peppermint humbugs.

 _“Ugh. Eso fue definitivamente tonto.”_ (Ugh. That was definitely silly). Mumbled Victoria looking at the head master with an incredulous look in her face.

 _“Sì, è molto.”_ (Yes, and a lot). Answered Blaise. Theo looked at them and shook his head, distressed.

“Not again! We can't understand you, you know?” Victoria chuckled. Draco sneer at them while helping himself with roast beef.

“How many languages do you know?” asked Theo. Victoria helped herself with a glass of pumking juice, she drank a little and then crooked her head.

“Ah… Like three and a half? Four actually.” She said, smiling. “Spanish, Italian, English and French” The girl looked at the food in the golden plates. Blaise also had the same face of confusion and annoyance. Theo turned to him.

“And you Blaise?” He looked up.

“Italian, English, French, Spanish, and some German.”  He said softly. Draco and Theo raised an eyebrow and Victoria looked at the English boys.

“You speak something aside English?” Vincent and Gregory shook their heads, more interested in the food. Draco nodded.

“French.”  And Theo answered.

“Yes, I speak Welsh,” Theo shrugged at this “and French.” The four of them smirked.

 _“Pratique.”_ (Practical) Said Victoria, while poking the stakes in front of her. Draco looked at this, questioning. Theo stopped his fork in mid air and glance at them. Blaise and Victoria still had their plates empty. Victoria sighed. “The food is just…” She looked at Blaise for help.

“To English.” Said Blaise annoyed. The other boys laughed, even the ghost next to Draco seemed amused, but again, his blank and haunted expression made it difficult to tell. Blaise looked at them, blankly and Victoria glared.

“It is. I’ll really like a _Gazpacho (2)_ or way better, a warm bowl of _Olla de trigo_ (3).” She said.  She poked the steak again.

“Or anything with olive oil.” Said Blaise grabbing his cup, filled with plain water, and taking a sip. Draco and Theo looked at them between confusion, amusement and awkwardness.

“Yes, bread with olive oil (4). But that is breakfast, not dinner.” She pointed out. Blaise chuckled. Then Draco let out a shriek, the ghost next to him had lend towards Blaise and Victoria, trespassing him on the way.

“You should eat something.” He said, his voice deep and haunted. A chill went down their backs. Victoria went pale.

“Ah… Sure…” Blaise said. Victoria could only nod. 

“I am the Bloody Baron, resident ghost of the Slytherin Dungeons.” He said. The first years were really pale and not so happy to be near the ghost. He was unnerving.

“A pleasure… eh… sir.”  Theo said slowly. The ghost retreated, right through Draco again, who looked less than pleased. Blaise serve himself a bit of roasted chicken and boiled potatoes. Victoria tentatively picked some fries, carrots and steak.

“I still miss the olive oil.” She stated. Blaise next to her let out a small smile. Theo chuckled. Draco was still skulking from the ghost issue. Vincent and Gregory too busy eating to take part of the conversation. 

Soon, even Blaise and Victoria had left the plates empty. The deserts appeared. Blocks of ice cream in every flavor you could think of, apple pies, treacle tarts, chocolate eclairs and jam doughnuts, trifle, strawberries, Jell-O and rice pudding. The eyes of the boys brightened up. Vincent and Gregory were the happiest and quickest ones to help themselves with sweets. Victoria picked a strawberry and munched it happily.

“Found something you do like?” Asked Theo smirking. She rolled her eyes.

“Of course, fruit is fruit.” She said, grabbing another strawberry.

 _“Peccato che ‘ice-cream’ non è ‘gelato (5).’”_ (A shame that ‘ice-cream’ is not ‘italian ice-cream’) Blaise said. “I'll like some gelato, not this...” added then.

“Well, it’s not that bad.” Said Vincent. The Italian boy glared at Vincent, making him gulped and resume eating not saying another word.

“Then don’t eat the ice-cream. Ask Victoria to share the strawberries.” Draco said, mocking them lightly.

“Never. Stay away from my strawberries.” She said glaring at Draco, fighting the urge to stick out her tongue to him. The ghost near them almost looked amused again. Or as amused as a bloody and grim face could look. Soon they were chuckling and talking about pointless things, like the Quidditch World Cup eliminations (“I don’t think England will go too far in the eliminations.”), the last World Cup (Italy 330 versus Germany 80 “ _Vittoria per L'Italia”_ (Victory for Italy)), their own flying adventures (“Once I had to avoid a muggle something when I was flying.”) and the local clubs (“No, I do not support the Hollyhead Harpies just because I’m a girl.”).  At last, the desserts too disappeared, and Professor Dumbledore got to his feet again.

 _“Les premières années, arrêtez de parler. Le directeur vais maintenant parler à vous tous.”_ (First years, stop talking. The headmaster will now speak to you all.) The ghost interrupted their chat.

“Ahern, just a few more words now that we are all fed and watered. I have a few start-of-term notices to give you. First years should note that the forest on the grounds is forbidden to all pupils. And a few of our older students would do well to remember that as well.” Dumbledore's twinkling eyes flashed in the direction of the Gryffindor table. “I have also been asked by Mr. Filch, the caretaker, to remind you all that no magic should be used between classes in the corridors. Quidditch trials will be held in the second week of the term. Anyone interested in playing for their house teams should contact Madam Hooch. And finally, I must tell you that this year, the third-floor corridor on the right-hand side is out of bounds to everyone who does not wish to die a very painful death.” The Slytherins looked at each other, confused. Victoria glance at the ghost and softly asked.

 _“Excusez-moi Baron, est-il sérieux?”_ (Excuse me Baron, is he serious?) The ghost looked at her and nodded. _“Est-il courant dans cette école ... d'avoir ... avertissements mort?”_ (Is it common in this school... to have... death warnings?) She said clearly not amused.

 _“Oui et non.”_ (Yes and no.) Was the only thing he answered.

“Oh! How nice.” Draco said with a really sarcastic voice. Theo shook his head and Blaise stared at the ghost blankly.

“And now, before we go to bed, let us sing the school song!” cried Dumbledore. The other teachers' smiles had become rather fixed and the students of the Slytherine were scowling. Dumbledore gave his wand a little flick, as if he was trying to get a fly off the end, and a long golden ribbon flew out of it, which rose high above the tables and twisted itself, snakelike, into words. “Everyone pick their favorite tune,” said Dumbledore, “and off we go!”

“I’m not singing.” The four of them agreed.

And the rest of school bellowed:

 

_“Hogwarts, Hogwarts, Hoggy Warty Hogwarts,_

_Teach us something please,_

_Whether we be old and bald_

_Or young with scabby knees,_

_Our heads could do with filling_

_With some interesting stuff,_

_For now they're bare and full of air,_

_Dead flies and bits of fluff,_

_So teach us things worth knowing,_

_Bring back what we've forgot,_

_just do your best, we'll do the rest,_

_And learn until our brains all rot.”_

 

Everybody finished the song at different times. At last, only the redhead twins of Gryffindor were left singing along to a very slow funeral march. Victoria giggled at that. That song could be a funeral march, it was definitely… weird and awful. Dumbledore conducted their last few lines with his wand and when they had finished, he was one of those who clapped loudest.

“Ah, music,” he said, wiping his eyes. “A magic beyond all we do here!” Draco snorted. “And now, bedtime. Off you trot!”

 

The Slytherin first years followed a fifth year perfect. She had short black spiky hair and was Pansy’s older sister, Pippa Parkinson. They exited the Great Hall and headed for the dungeons. Victoria’s teeth began chattering again. Blaise took off his coat again and pass it to Theo, who being closer to the girl put the coat on her shoulders. She nodded thanking the two boys. Draco, again flanked by Vincent and Gregory, was walking in front, owning the place. After taking many turns in what seemed a labyrinth they reached a stretch of bare, damp stonewall.

“This is our common room.” Pipa said, facing the first years. “You’ll need a password to enter, the password changes every month. Don’t forget the password or get lost in the dungeons, we perfects don’t want much trouble.” She faced the wall and said clearly. “Gale” the wall slide opened. They step inside carefully to the Slytherin common room. It was a long, low underground room with stone walls and ceiling from which round, greenish lamps were hanging on chains. A fire was crackling under an elaborately carved mantelpiece ahead of them, many armchairs, sofas and pillows were scatter around the first room making it comfortable. A huge painting of a grave man was on the right wall, along with other paintings and photographs of older Slytherin students. There was a set of stair on the left that leaded to a second living room filled with desks and bookshelves. It was like a large study. Later they would find a huge window in giving a bluish kind of light and a spectacular view.  There were also two doors with corridors behind. Pipa pointed to the doors. “The first door leads to the boy’s dormitories and the other is for the girl’s.” She then disappeared to the girl’s dormitories. Victoria bid the boys goodnight and went to dormitories. It was a long corridor illuminated with the same greenish laps as the common room. She looked at the doors. Silver plates indicate of whom the rooms where, third years, fifth years, perfect and finally, near the end of the hallway the room of the first years. She opened the door and step inside. The room was rectangular and long. Three four-poster beds with black curtains were placed in row, a nightstand beside each of them. Their trunks were placed in the feet of each bed and drawers were placed under the bed. Victoria made her way to her bed, the one farthest from the door. The window opened in front of her bed. It had an irregular shape following the space of the rocks. It gave a bluish almost white glow, illuminating the room softly and making the view available. The lake was enchanting. Soft seaweeds danced slowly with the current. Slowly she discarded her clothes, realizing she had the extra cloak. She fell asleep really quickly, not been able to stay awake to talk to her new roommates.

 

The boys had a similar room, five beds and a big underwater window. The door was in the middle of the wall, three beds on one side and two on the other. Blaise and Theo things were on the two separated bed, Vincent, Gregory and Draco in the other three. Draco was sitting in his bed, writing a letter, probably to his parents.  Vincent was telling Gregory something about his summer. 

“Victoria still has my cloak.” Blaise said to Theo while changing.

“True. Ask for it tomorrow.” The Italian boy nodded and laid in the bad, watching the curtains.

“Still to English for you?” Asked Theo who was facing him.

“Yes.” He said, smirking. Theo chuckled.

“Get use to it, we’ll be here for seven years.” Blaise rolled his eyes.

“Of course. Goodnight Theo.”

“Night.”

 

They all fell asleep soon after that, having pleasant and comfortable dreams.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **1\. Acebedo de Córdoba:** Acebedo is a Spanish surname mostly found in Barcelona or Galicia (north of Spain), making it uncommon in the south.
> 
> Córdoba is a city in Andalucía, southern Spain, and the capital of the province of Córdoba. An Iberian and Roman city in ancient times, during the postclassical period (Middle Ages), it became the capital of an Islamic caliphate, Al-Andalus.  
> In the VIII century the Iberian Peninsula went through a complex political and military process that derived in the formation of the al-Ándalus, an Arabic/Muslim occupation and reign of what today is Spain, Portugal and part of France. Almost immediately the catholic kingdoms of the north began the Reconquista a periodical war that lasted almost 781 years. The conquered took fifteen years, the Reconquista ended in 1492 when ‘el reino nazarí de Granada’ in Andalucía fell.  
> To the day, grate Arabic influence can still be found in Andalucía, from science, language, art, architecture and even food. 
> 
> Victoria’s family has deep root of Arabic descent. Their family tree said that they come from a noble wizard family from the city of Constantinople. They also find ancestress of Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Libya and India. 
> 
> **2\. Gazpacho:** a cold soup made with olive oil, vinegar, breath and raw vegetables, commonly tomatoes, cucumber, peppers, garlic and onions. Other variations like ajoblanco includes other ingredients such as crushed almonds or lima beans flour.  
>  It can be also serve hot, but this variation is mostly found in the colder places like Galicia. 
> 
> **3\. Olla de trigo:** a stew made from wheat, chickpeas, a variety of meats (morcilla de cebolla -sausage made from blood with onion added- and salted pork) and some vegetables (turnip, pumpkin, potatoes and fried onions). This plate is to be cook over low fire for a long time. Mostly eaten in winter. It’s also called Olla de San Antonio because it is cooked on the day of the saint (January 17th).
> 
>  **4\. Bread with olive oil:** in Andalucía (and Spain) is commonly know as desayuno andaluz and it consist with a piece of bread, commonly a mollete (white bread, in a roundish shape, slightly toasted and cover on the outside with flour) with olive oil that can be smeared with garlic or cover with tomatoes or ham. There’s also sweet variations using olive oil cover with sugar or orange juice  
>  While it has it origins in the labours that had little money and used it to the fullest, it’s now on days a common light breakfast in all Spain and can be ordered in cafes. In Italy, on the other way, it’s still believed to be pauper type of food. Latin America, on the other side of the sea, considers bread with olive oil a delicatessen available only to the affluent class and the restaurants that serve it as an entrance are the ‘decent’ ones. 
> 
> **5\. Gelato:** it’s the word in Italian form ice-cream. Made with milk, sugar and flavourings such as fruit or nuts purees. While this seam similar to ice-cream, gelato has specific differences. While ice cream legally has a minimum of 10 percent fat (in the USA), gelato is made with a greater proportion of whole milk to cream, so it contains more like five to seven percent fat. Gelato also is churned at a slower speed than ice cream, so it's denser because not as much air is whipped into the mixture. (Gelato contains about 25 to 30 percent air, while ice cream can contain as much as 50 percent air) Finally, while ice cream is typically served frozen, gelato is typically stored and served at a slightly warmer temperature, so it's not quite completely frozen.


	3. First year: III. Double Herbology with Ravenclaw, double Potions with Gryffindor

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "No limits just epiphanies"
> 
> American Authors – Best Day Of My Life

The classes began next day. Professor Severus Snape, head of Slytherin, handing out the schedules on the table that morning, quick and free of nonsense.

Their first class had been a double class of History of Magic. Five minutes listening to the ghost of Professor Binns and everyone on the class was almost asleep. Except for Victoria, who after ten minutes of the origins of magic in Antique Egypt, had started to ask question. Are the staffs carried by the god in the frescos (1) considered predecessor of the short wands we use now? Were the processes to make them similar in any way? Is really Antique Egypt the only origin of magic? What about Sumeria?(Sumer) (2) The professor had looked up from his notes amazed and confused. Never had someone made a question, much less a debate one. He had asked for her name and answered the questions. The rest of the lecture he kept glancing at her with curious ghostly eyes. Victoria took notes of everything he said carefully and even added some drawings to them.

They had Herbology with the Ravenclaws under the teachings Professor Sprout, a short energetic witch with a lot of earth in her clothes and hands, had come and pass without incident, nothing particular aside from plants and soil, too much soil for Pansy and Daphne actually. The professor hadn't been pleased with them complaining. Victoria and Hermione were together, the brunette whispering excited about the plants she saw around her. Blaise and Theo were next to them, including themselves in the conversation. Draco, Vincet and Gregory were near them, busy with their own conversations. Nobody questioned a Ravenclaw between the Slytherings, even if some people looked at them curiously and even disapprovingly. Victoria narrowed her eyes and continued listening to Hermione talk. The brunette was looking bright and happy next to her, but she eyed the rest of her house with distrust.

Tuesday they had Transfiguration with Professor McGonagall. She began her class with a speech of what to expect from her subject and person. Strict and clever. "Transfiguration is some of the most complex and dangerous magic you will learn at Hogwarts. Anyone messing around in my class will leave and not come back. You have been warned." And then she proceeded to turn furniture into animals. Even if they were eager to star, after taking complicate notes they began with something simple. Turning a match into a needle. No one made much progress except Blaise who manage to make it silver. Professor McGonagall nodded at him in acknowledgment and awarded their house with one point. For the head of the house of Gryffindor she was pretty fair with the other houses.

Thursday on the morning they had double Charms with professor Flitwick. The professor was a tiny little wizard who had to stand on a pile of books to see over his desk. At the start of their first class he took the roll call. Rumour was that when in class with the Gryffindors he had fallen down when calling Potter's name. Later that day they had Defence Against the Dark Arts that turned out as a joke. The class smelled strongly to garlic and Professor Quirrell was afraid of everything, even his own shadow.

Friday morning came too fast for the first years Slytherins. Tuesday at midnight they had had Astronomy, gazing at the sky full of stars, moons and planets, and the hours of sleep weren't enough.

Victoria sat between Blaise and Theo in breakfast; the three of them more sleep than awake. Theo yawed quietly and the smirked, eyeing something over the sea of heads.

"Have you noticed that today we have Potions?" He said. Blaise looked at him over his cup.

"So?" asked Victoria before returning to her plate of fruit.

"So, we have double Potions with the Gryffindors." He said before biting his toast. "And professor Snape likes to make Gryffindors miserable early on the morning." Victoria laughed quietly.

"And I'll assume that he likes to favour Slytherins early on the morning." Blaise added, looking over to the lions' table with a smirk in his lips. Theo raised his cup for an answer. Victoria giggled again.

"It sounds like fun." She said with a small glint of amusement and mischief in her eyes.

The owls came in that moment, startling Pansy and Daphne some places up the table. Victoria sneered at them and munched on an apple slice. A golden-brown barn owl landed in front of Blaise. A grey owl had delivered a letter for Theo, who was busy reading it. A huge black owl landed in front of Victoria. She sighed and took the letter from his leg, pocketing without reading it. She petted the owl in the head. The rest of the owls near were scared away by the new one and flew back quickly. Victoria munched another piece of apple and fed the huge owl, still on the table, a piece of bacon from Blaise's plate. Theo folded his letter and leaned on his hand.

"That owl glared at the others, making them fly away?" He asked to Victoria, who nodded. "and you pet him, her for it?"

"Si. (Yes) And fed him with Blaise's bacon. I'm proud of him." She said. Theo laughed, shaking his head amused. The owl hooted and scoped closer to her, snuggling in her hair. She laughed and petted him again. Blaise smiled at her.

"Cute piccola (little one), but please don't steal my food. I was planning to eat that bacon." Victoria, and the owl, glared at him. Theo laughed again.

"Don't call me that!" She said narrowing her eyes. The owl hooted and puffed his feathers menacingly. Theo laughed again.

That owl is so amazing!" Victoria smiled at the English boy. The Italian laughed with them. Finally the laugher stopped. The owl was still in the table, drinking from Victoria's water.

"And piccola (little one)" Blaise ignored the glares, human and bird alike. "what's the name of the owl?" She swallowed a strawberry before answering, petting the feathers of her owl again.

"First, he's a 'bu' a Spanish gigantic owl (3), obviously magic." The girl didn't elaborate in what kind of magic. "And his name is Alatriste. (4)" Theo looked at the far away look that the violet eyes of Victoria had acquired and Blaise frown. The English boy narrowed his eyes. He quickly changed the subject.

"Any way, breakfast is almost over and we don't want to be late to Potions and fun, don't we?" The others laughed and looked over to the lion's table. Blaise could make the heads of Potter and Weasley, red and black, huddle together reading something, the paper probably. Victoria petted 'Alatriste' again, gave him another piece of bacon and the owl hooted softly before flying away. The three of them stood up and walked down towards the dungeons.

Potions lessons took place down in one of the dungeons. It was colder here than up in the main castle and would have been quite creepy enough without the pickled animals floating in glass jars all around the walls. Victoria looked apprehensible at something that looked like a baby crocodile with two heads floating in a jar. Theo poked her. The girl glared at him before sitting on a desk, dropping her bag next to her. Theo sat next to her and Blaise on the other side.

Professor Snape, like Flitwick, started the class by taking the register, and like Flitwick, he paused at Potter's name.

"Ah, yes," he said softly, "Harry Potter. Our new… celebrity."

Draco, Vincent and Goyle sniggered behind their hands. Theo and Blaise smirked between them and Victoria sat there with a mocking smile in her lips. Snape finished calling the names and looked up at the class. His eyes were black, but they had no ounce of warmth. They were cold and empty and made you think of dark tunnels. The lions shifted uncomfortable under his stare. So much for Gryffindor bravery.

"You are here to learn the subtle science and exact art of potion making," he began. He spoke in barely more than a whisper, but they caught every word, Professor Snape had the gift of keeping a class silent without effort. "As there is little foolish wand-waving here, many of you will hardly believe this is magic. I don't expect you to really understand the beauty of the softly simmering cauldron with its fumes, the delicate power of liquids that creep thought human veins, bewitching the min, ensnaring the senses… I can teach you how to bottle fame, brew glory, even stop death, if you aren't as big a bunch of dunderheads as I usually have to teach."

More silence followed after his speech. Victoria smiled mockingly again. The Gryffindors looked awkwardly at each other, except a girl with smooth dark brown hair and amber eyes. She was on the edge of her seat with an angry expression on her face, determined to prove she (and possible some of her house-mates) were not dunderheads.

"Potter!" said Snape suddenly. 'What would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?' Potter glanced at the redhead next to him, who looked as stumped as he was; The girl's hand had raised into the air slowly, hesitating a bit.

"I don't know, sir," said Potter. Snape's lips curled into a sneer.

"Tut, tut… fame clearly isn't everything." He ignored the other Gryffindor's hand.

"Let's try again. Potter, where would you look if I told you to find me a bezoar?" The Gryffindor girl lowered her hand her brow furrowed in concentration, but Potter didn't look as he had the faintest idea what a bezoar was. Draco, Vincent and Goyle were shaking with laughter. Blaise was stretched back in his seat, and Theo and Victoria were leaning in their desk looking over the lion's struggles.

"I don't know, sir."

"Thought you wouldn't open a book before coming, eh, Potter?" Potter face clearly said that he had opened the books but how did Snape expect him to remember everything in One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi? Professor Snape was still ignoring the hand in the air. "What's the difference, Potter, between monkshood and wolfsbane?" At this, the girl shoted her hand in the air, desperate to be seen and to answer.

"I don't know." Said Potter quietly. "I think Lisa does, though, why don't you try her?" A few people laughed. Victoria smiled again, darting her violet eyes to the professor. He was not pleased at all.

"Lower your hand." He snapped to the Turpin girl. "For your information, Potter, asphodel and wormwood make a sleeping potion so powerful it is know as the Draught of Living Death. A bezoar is a stone taken form the stomach of a goat and it will save you from most poisons. As for monkshood and wolfsbane, they are the same plant, which is also know by the name of aconite. Well? Why aren't you all copying that down?" Over the sound of rummaged for quills and parchment the Slytherins hear Professor Snape said, "And a point will be taken form Gryffindor House for your check, Potter".

After that, things got more amusing for the Slytherins and worse form the Gryffindors. Professor Snape had all into pairs and set them to mixing up a simple potion to cure boils. He swept around in his long black cloak, watching them weigh dried nettles and crush snake fangs, criticizing almost everyone except some Slytherins, like Victoria, Theo and Blaise (who asked to work in trio, saying that there were an uneven* number and mumbling that they didn't want to work with a Gryffindor). He praised Draco, whom he seemed to like. He was just telling everyone to look at the perfect way Draco had stewed his horned slugs when clouds of acid green smoke and a loud hissing filled the dungeon. Longbottom had somehow managed to melt Finnegans's cauldron into a twisted blob, and their potion was seeping across the stone floor, turning holes in people's shoes. Within seconds, the whole class was standing on their stools while Neville, who had been drenched in the potion when the cauldron collapsed, moaned in pain as angry red boils sprang up all over his arms and legs.

"Idiot boy!" snarled Snape, clearing the spilled potion away with one wave of his wand. "I suppose you added the porcupine quills before taking the cauldron off the fire?" Longbottom whimpered as boils started to pop up all over his nose. "Take him up to the hospital wing," Snape spat at his partner. Then he rounded on Potter and Weasley, who had been working next to Neville.

"You, Potter… why didn't you tell him not to add the quills? Thought he'd make you look good if he got it wrong, did you? That's another point you've lost for Gryffindor." Draco sneered and watched with amusement as Potter opened his mouth to argue closing it almost immediately. Victoria and the boys noted that Weasley had kicked Potter to stay quiet. The boy did know what was convenient. The group continued snickering at the wounded pride of the lions the rest of the lesson.

As they climbed the steps out of the dungeon an hour later, heading for lunch the group was basking in good mood. The first week had been memorable, and they were waiting forward for the rest of their time here.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 1\. Fresco: is a mural technique where the painting itself becomes part of the wall. The process consist of painting over a freshly added lime plaster (made with sand, water and cal - Ca(OH)2).
> 
> In Antique Egypt the fresco is found in the walls of tombs. The paintings were made with a secco work. This means that first the general and rough painting was made on the wet plaster, allowed to dry (often accelerating the process by rubbing it with sand) and then painted over the day plaster as if on a canvas or paper. Painting in wet plaster allows the murals to last longer, contrary to dry techniques.
> 
> 2\. Sumeria: Ancient civilization and historical region in southern Mesopotamia, modern Iraq, during the Chalcolithic and Early Bronze Age. Recognized for being the first (therefor oldest) civilization to leave bibliographic material, in form of a large number of tablets written in cuneiform. Among magic references, we found the divinity Enlil, lord of the ghost-land. His gifts to mankind were said to be the spells and incantations that the spirits of good or evil were compelled to obey.
> 
> Sumerologist Samuel Noah Kramer asserts, "No people has contributed more to the culture of mankind than the Sumerians"
> 
> 3\. Bú: A gigantic owl (buhó) form the iberic folklore, derived probably from Celtic mythology. It's black and enormous in size and wings, with big (often as big as soup bowls) red eyes that can paralyze it's victims with fear and sharp beak and talons. It's said to capture little kids and take them away, never to be seen again. Its natural habitats are oak forests (a sacred tree for the Celtics).
> 
> 4\. Alatriste: It's the surname of the main fictional character of the Spanish writer Arturo Pérez-Reverte series of novels named "Capitan Alatrsite". Witch deals with the life of the Captain Diego Alatriste y Tenorio, a Spanish soldier and man of fortune living in the 17th century.
> 
> The novels are set on the Spanish Golden Age (17th Century), a period of flourishing in arts and literature in Spain, coinciding with the political rise and decline of the Spanish Habsburg (of an Austrian dynasty) dynasty. Witters such as Lope de Vega (famous for "Fuenteovejuna") and Miguel de Cervantes (author of "El Ingenioso Hidalgo Don Quijote de la Mancha") are form this time, as well as the painter Diego Velázquez ("Las Meninas").
> 
> *Uneven number: They are not an uneven number. As I said on the last chapter's footnotes, I'm going with the idea that every house has five boys and three girls, making eight students per house in Harry's year. In Gryffindor and Slytherin double potions class that will make sixteen students, perfectly even. But, somehow I got the impression that Snape will allow Slytherins to be a trio… if just to stop them from working with a Gryffindor.


End file.
